Adjustable cover



April 28, 1953 H. w. HERRMAN ADJUSTABLE COVER Filed 066. 18, 1949 I. III: lll'dlll III: lllnll BY W2; ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 28, 1953 [TE ll STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE COVER Rapids, Iowa Application October 18, 1949, Serial No. 121,985

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to adjustable covers for use with such articles as gas cylinders and the like.

There is some danger with gas cylinders. The valves and gas delivery systems used with such cylinders on occasion give way. This may result merely in parts of the apparatus being blown for some distance by escaping gas. Alternatively, as sometimes happens with inflammable gases, actual explosions occur. Either is a considerable hazard to people in the vicinity. The danger and resulting hazard are of suiiicient magnitude that ordinances frequently require the covering of all such valve systems. Covers heretofore known have been of sufficient complexity, with resultant high price, that the ordinances are not enforced.

An object of the present invention is to provide covers which are movable to an elevated position in which the cover will stay without chance of dropping till intentionally lowered. A further object is to provide improved covers for use in connection with gas cylinders. A still further object is the provision of covers of improved operative utility but of great simplicity whereby not only is the cost low, but there is nothing to get out of order.

I have, also, such further objects, advantages, and capabilities as will hereafter appear and as are inherent in the structure disclosed herein. My invention further resides in the combination, construction, and arrangement of parts. illustrated in the accompanying drawings and, while I have shown therein what is now regarded as the preferred embodiment of this invention, and a modification thereof, I desire the same to be regarded as illustrative only and not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.

in the drawings annexed hereto and forming apart hereof,

Fig. l is a fragmentary elevation of a pair of gas cylinders with the cover hereof in place and.

in elevated position;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the cover hereof; and

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the cover in lowered position in full lines, and in elevated position in broken lines.

In Fig. 1 two gas cylinders 4 are shown for holding such materials as bottle gas, propane, and the like. The cylinders 4 are provided with valves 5 at the upper end thereof. A conventional support 6 carries a control valve 1 at its upper end. Pipes 8 communicate from valves 5 to valve l. These cylinders, valves, pipes, and supports are conventional.

The cover is constituted of a plate 9, which may be detachably connected, as by the bolt ID, to the support 6, and of a lid H. The plate 9 is provided with a vertical portion or supporting plate I2 and an upper turned over edge M. The lid II is formed of a top l5, a front 16, depending therefrom opposite the plate 9, and two ends [1, depending therefrom adjacent to said plate 9.

The plate 9 and lid l l are connected by hinges l8 which are positioned upon the rearward side of the plate 9. Each hinge I8 is formed of a .strap of metal, both ends of which are secured,

as by bolts E9, to the plate 9. Above the bolts IS, the hinge I8 is bent at an angle to the plate 9 and extends on a curve 20 rearwardly and upwardly therefrom. At a point spaced slightly to the rear of the plate 9, it extends from the curved portion 29 upwardly to a point just above the edge It of the plate 9. At that point the metal strap is bent rearwardly at 21 and thence downwardly at 22. The strap extends downwardly from the point 22 to the point 23 at a lower level than the curved portion 20, then, thence toward the plate 9 where it is secured by the bolts 59.

The top [5 of lid H is provided with openings 24 at its rearward edge to receive the hinges E8. The vertical distance between the portion forward of the points 23 and curve 29 is sufficient to receive the portion of the lid between openings 24 and the rearward edge of the lid. The distance between the portions of the hinge l8 extending downwardly from point .21 and 22 is likewise sufiicient to allow passage of that portion of the lid between openings 24 and the rearward edge of the lid.

In operation with the lid H in the full line closed position shown in Fig. 3, the front portion of the lid is raised. The rear part of the lid pivots about the upper edge [4 of plate 9. The rear edge of the lid moves downwardly between the two generally vertical portions of hinge [8. The movement downwardly continues with the raising of the lid until the rear edge of the lid rests on the hinge forward of point 23, the upper edge of opening 24 bears against the hinge above curve 20, and the under surface of, the lid rests against the edge 14. The lid is held in raised position since to eifect lowering it is necessary to move the lid upward in the plane of the top iii of lid H. The outer edge of the lid Il may then be lowered. Thus, to close the lid, it is first necessary to raise it and then move it forward.

While the present invention has been shown specifically in connection with gas cylinders it is obvious that it may be applied to various other specific uses such as stove covers and covers for automatic ironers. It is further to be understood that the structure specifically described may be departed from without departing from the spirit of thisinvention as disclosed herein and as defined in the appended claims.

The posts or supports 6 may be made of various forms, as, for example, they may be produced from sections of angle iron and, in this form, tied together in nested bundles for shipment.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination comprising a substantially vertical plate having a hinge secured on the backside thereof, and a lid hingedly connected with said plate by said hinge, said plate having an' upper edge for supporting said lid, said hinge comprising a strap both ends of which are supported from said plate which strap extends throughan opening through said .lid at a point spaced from the edge thereof proximal to said hinge, each end of said strap extending rearwardly and upwardly from the rear of said plate one end being positioned below and to the rear of the other, whereby there is an upper end and a lower end, the upper portions of said endsextending to a position above the level of said upper edge of said plate and being connected by a bight portion of said strap, the upper and lower ends of said strap being spaced apart a distance greater than the spacing of said opening from the proximal edge of said lid, whereby when the lid is in elevated position it rests upon said lower end and bears laterally against both said upper end of said strap and the upper edge of said plate and whereby said lid to be lowered must first be elevated and then moved forwardly.

2. A cover for protecting the valve and/or regulating mechanism for a liquified petroleum gas system which comprises a supporting plate, a pair of hinge members connected thereto, each having an elongated loop projecting rearwardly and vertically from the back side of said plate, and a top plate having adjacent its rear edge a pair of openings receiving the forward portions of said loops with the portions of said top plate lying between the rear edge thereof and said openings lying within said loops and engageable with the upper parts of said loops, when the top plate is lowered to engage the upper part of said supporting plate, and said top plate being swingable upwardly about the upper edge of said supporting plate so that the rear edge portion of said cover shifts downwardly along said hinge members into a position supported by said hinge members and said supporting plate.

3. A cover for enclosing the valve mechanism of an assembly of gas tanks, comprising a back plate secured to a post, a pair of hinge members having elongated loops at their upper ends, a top plate provided with openings near its back edge which cooperate with the hinge members to provide the top plate with hinge connection to the back plate, and a supporting plate attached to the back plate, the upper portions of said loops lying slightly above the upper portion of said supporting plate and each loop enclosing the rear portion of said top plate between the rear edge thereof and the adjacent opening, whereby, when said top plate is lowered into a substantially horizontal position, the lower surface rests against the upper edge of said supporting plate and the upper surfaces of the portions of said top plate, enclosed by said loops, contact the upper portions of said. loops.

4.- A cover for protecting the valve and/or regulating mechanism for a liquified gas system which comprises a supporting plate, a pair of hinge members connected thereto, each having an elongated loop projecting rearwardly and vertically from the back side of said plate, and a top plate having-adjacent its rear edge a pair of openings receiving the forward portions of said loops with the portions of said top plate lying between the rear edge thereof, and said openings lying within said loops and engageable with the upper parts of said loops when the top plate is lowered to engage the upper part of said supporting plate, and said top plate being wholly supported by said hinge loops and said supporting plate.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination comprising a substantially vertical supporting plate, a hinge member secured to the back side of said plate and having a lower portion attached to said plate below the upper end thereof, a portion ofiset rearwardly from said plate and extending upwardly along the latter in approximately parallel relation, an upper portion adjacent the level of the upper end of said supporting plate extending approximately horizontally and rearwardly from the upper end of said offset portion, and a cover member having an edge portion provided with an aperture receiving said ofiset portion of the hinge member, said apertured portion of the cover member being adapted to be shifted downwardly along said offset portion and away from said approximately horizontal upper hinge portion when the cover member is raised into a position in which it engages the rear side of the vertical supporting plate.

6. A cover for protecting the valve and/or regulating mechanism for a liquified gas system which comprises a supporting plate, a pair of hinge members connected thereto, each having an elongated loop projecting rearwardly and vertically from the back side of said plate, and a top plate having adjacent its rear edge a pair of openings receiving the forward portions of said loops with the portions of said top plate lying between the rear edge thereof, and said opening lying within said loops and engageable with the upper parts of said loops when the top plate is lowered to engage the upper part of said supporting plate, and said top plate being wholly supported by said hinge loops and said supporting plate, said covers being shaped to be placed together in nesting relation, the supporting plate extending substantially from side to side of said cover.

H. W. HERRMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,686,969 Hebden Oct. 9, 1928 1,954,874 Hopkins Apr. 17, 1934 2,313,965 Pierson et al. Mar. 16, 1943 2,497,561 Rose Feb. 14, 1950 2,567,370 Fauser Sept. 11, 1951 

